Google is planning to release 32 million mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria across Florida and California

Google’s parent company Alphabet is seeking federal approval to release 32 million specially treated mosquitoes across California and Florida over the next two years—as part of a bid to reduce the spread of mosquito-borne diseases including West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis. The proposal, filed with the US Environmental Protection Agency, is part of Alphabet’s Debug initiative, a project launched in 2016 by its life sciences subsidiary Verily. The EPA is currently reviewing the request under an experimental use permit, with a public comment period open through early June. Exact release locations haven’t been announced yet.

Male mosquitoes don’t bite—and that’s the whole point

The plan hinges on a naturally occurring bacterium called Wolbachia. Debug breeds male mosquitoes infected with this bacteria and releases them into the wild. When these males mate with wild females that don’t carry the same strain, the resulting eggs are non-viable and don’t hatch—gradually…